Happy Birthday Dad and thanks to my Step Mom for not realizing this game was meaningless when she bought us the tix as a surprise only to find out it would be an UNFORGETTABLE memory!

@fr0styy156

23 күн бұрын

So it wasn’t meaningless..

I'm sure Gretzky hated all this rigamorole over himself. He was always very humble and a great ambassador of our sport.

@deborahdonnithorne3404

21 күн бұрын

Well you’re half right, he is a good Ambassador!

I remember this like it was 25 years ago.

The custom anthems for Wayne were definitely one of the more strangest things

@PatDK

28 күн бұрын

I don’t think anyone thought the custom anthems were anything but cringe…. I remember watching the game and thinking about how lame it was and trying too hard is how it felt to me

@ColinHurkett

28 күн бұрын

I feel sorry for Wayne needing to hear that. He probably wanted to stand and honor his country, but everyone there is forcing him to honor himself. A wrong move, no doubt.

@coastaku1954

28 күн бұрын

Oh I thought it was cute

@5ch3nk

27 күн бұрын

LOL. It's straight out of a SCTV sketch where John Candy plays a "kid" named Billy Stemhovilichski. Eugene Levy is singing the anthem and just starts going "..and it's Billy's first game. It's Billy's first game.."

@steve8803

26 күн бұрын

@@ColinHurkett You are taking it way too deeply. It's just words. Grow up!

They can cover this with a video every year and I'll always watch. One of the most interesting days in league history.

I love how the one commentator corrected his partner's "probably the best hockey player on this ice surface in New York, today" to "the best player on ANY ice surface in ANY rink... at ANY time".

If Gretzky was playing today I think he would not have finished his career at 38, but then records did not matter as much as they do now. 3000 points would have been within his reach if he had decided to play another 3-4 seasons just like Messier.

@OKmoomer

28 күн бұрын

More than likely, he would have been chasing Jaromir Jagr's record alongside the likes of McDavid but never come close to reaching 3,000 points. A lot of people forget that the main reason why people firmly believe no one will break his career points total is because of how much better defenses and goaltenders are these days, and because of how much the metagame has evolved since Gretzky's time. With that being said, I don't think we ever see anything close to Gretzky doing what he actually did if he had been born 25 years later. Not to mention that the greatest players of our generation will be remembered for less superficial reasons than some primary stats anyways.

@maverik094

28 күн бұрын

@@OKmoomer I meant that he would have continued his career if he knew that 25 years later there would be a guy like Ovechkin who would probably score more goals than Wayne. Now milestones are something people talk about all the time. 100 assists, 70 goals, most assists as a winger, 100 points as a defender and so on. When Gretzky played, all he cared about was breaking Howe's record, but he didn't play to push the records so that they were unbreakable.

@OKmoomer

28 күн бұрын

@@maverik094 I have my doubts about that. Wayne retired because, at least according to Wayne's own standards, Wayne sucked by then.

@Outta-hz1ej

28 күн бұрын

I'm sure Wayne wanted to retire with class and purpose instead of sticking around the NHL one more season just to collect points. Wayne said it best himself, "Stats are for losers."

@MrHowil99

27 күн бұрын

99 retiring in 1999. He retired because, for the first time, he was not a point per game player and only scored 9 goals for the season. His injuries and age caught up with him. He didn't want to retire with the image of being washed up.

I can't believe it's been over 25 years!🇨🇦🇺🇸

I was There - it was WILD - we had tix before we knew he was retiring cuz it was a meaningless game on my Dads Bday and then i remember crying at the end while he did laps saluting us and then they gave him a fishing boat i think lol

Happy to say that it was my very FIRST and very LAST game I ever saw Gretzky perform. Was there for that Ottawa game!!

There's never been a better bobble head than Gary Bettman.

@j.thomas7128

19 күн бұрын

Barnum & BETTMAN Scrum Circus on Ice!

Wow 1999.. world was almost good as it gets..

@SSNESS

28 күн бұрын

He went out as a loser

@chrisbee9643

28 күн бұрын

The world was darn perfect in the 90s...

@chrisbee9643

28 күн бұрын

@@SSNESS you live and speak like one...

@SSNESS

28 күн бұрын

@@chrisbee9643 I have an autographed Gretzky sock

@u.s.m.c.fewproudthemarines2987

28 күн бұрын

​@@chrisbee9643agree friend

Just yesterday did I find my original Edmonton Sun newspaper from when Gretz retired. Crazy timing.

Thank you Wayne. CBC tried so hard to make this more sad than what it really was. their tone was off all night. the crowd was more aware. it was a celebration. 25 years and most of his records are intact.

Fantastic video!

I was born in October of the year he retired... I've never seen this. I'm crying.

I love how both national anthems had altered lyrics for the occasion.

Oh dang I hadn’t heard. RIP to the Great one

Most dominate athlete in any sport!!

A great Canadian.

Потрясающий игрок, великий хоккеист. Раньше был другой хоккей, НО со своей искрой 🏒 🥅

He still looked so young when he retired

I remember watching this as a child. Hate the oilers hate the rangers love the great one. The goat fore sure

If you took away every goal Gretzky ever scored (891) , he would STILL be the NHLs all-time points leader.

Kyper looks sharp

ive never seen them single the canadian anthem when a none canadian team was playing , that was for 1 man the legend

Greatest

Those ol nike skates! I still got mine. He could have done something with that sponsor. No?

Mario is sitting in the stands? No luxury boxes available in MSG?

@u.s.m.c.fewproudthemarines2987

28 күн бұрын

Not yet

@thebigpicture2032

26 күн бұрын

You can see he is itching to play.

Glad for him to have played for the Rangers

have you seen N99???

I just can’t believe that Kravchuk has that stick

Sadly the second best hockey player scored a winning goal against Gretzky in this match.

wayne the great anyway

The thumbnail made me think he passed away

it's almost hilarious how baggy his jersey was

So glad Jim Hughson is no longer calling games.

Of course it would be Jagr to end his career lol

Фу ты, я уж чего-то подумал другое.

Just Think anyone under 25 probably doesn't know who he is

Wang

Gretzky last year sucked

@InMotionForAMillion

26 күн бұрын

Yes, that's precisely why he retired...

@jurgenvietinghoff853

26 күн бұрын

True that

Best offensive player but not the GOAT. Gordie Howe = scoring, assists, defense and beat the sh*t out of you in a fight. I'm sure I'll get plenty of downward pointing thumbs but you have to look at the whole skillset, not just # of goals.

Altering the anthem lyrics was peak cringe.

Overrated,cant wait for the real goat to take his record next season. No more average gretzky highlights and real talent great 8 highlights

@tracybtchinstructor4197

28 күн бұрын

If it wasn't for Gretzky there would be No great 8. Ovi himself said that "he doubted that he would ever reach Gretzky's record". I have been watching the "Great 8" and can't wait till he breaks the record. Gretzky is from my home town so I am kinda sick of his hype. Go OVI

@I_amTurok

28 күн бұрын

@tracybtchinstructor4197 it's the turn around of rules,gameplay equipment that make ovi much better! Can't wait hopefully he makes a deep run this year too

@isthatujeebus

28 күн бұрын

You're a fan of a guy that's scored around a quarter of his goals off one-timers from the left dot on the PP and GRETZKY is overrated?! 🤡🤡😩

@chrisbee9643

28 күн бұрын

Gordie has hung up his boots a long time ago, bro.

@I_amTurok

28 күн бұрын

@@isthatujeebus dude Gretzky played against bums and no goalies. No credit deserved when you play in a beer league. We both know Gretzky in prime in today's nhl would be 1/4 of what he did back then.

Gretzky said if he knew Jagr was going to play for the Rangers two years later, he would have hung around. Imagine the magic Jagr and Gretzky would do together

If Ovechkin passes him there better be a asterisk by that record. They made the rules so its way easier to get goals. The NHL is just another one of the big sports leagues to ruin their game just for more scoring and more money.

yup and we are still always talking about this guy....MOVE ON

Best player on any ice at any time? Uh no, Jagr was a beast that year.